Not enough credit is given to the abstracts of the old “inside us are two wolves” saying. For every joyful piece of the world that beckons to us, there’s an equally powerful pull of sorrow from elsewhere; to acknowledge either without the other creates a brand new problem as well.
Halifax’s Adam Warren (waants) dodges this trap and emerges in the best way possible with “I Won’t Be Sad,” a track with characterization in spades; from its quirky use of autotune to the expertly-juxtaposed piano.
“This song was written in a time when I was between two minor, but life-interrupting surgeries,” says Warren. “I was really struggling with my sense of self, having broken up my old band of 10 years and having so much of my identity wrapped up in my involvement in that project. Now that it was over, who was I?”
“This song is referencing a lot of those feelings of frustration and the struggle to remain grateful for all of the good things in my life – especially my family. The refrain is me like giving myself a pep talk, a reminder to be in the moment when I was with my daughter instead of dwelling on my career and where I wanted to be / what I wanted to accomplish with it.”
Equipped with a modulated piano that tugs the line between major and minor keys all too often, Warren crafts a core sound that perfectly blends possibility and dread, hope and fear, and possible futures of all sorts. This is equally reflected in Warren’s lyrics, touching on themes of hard-earned self-acceptance with an autotune experiment that follows the piano’s example.
From 2006-2016, Adam was the singer, songwriter, producer, and creative driving force of beloved Halifax indie-pop band Glory Glory. The band released five EPs and a critically-acclaimed full-length album, which was recorded at home by Warren.
Following his work with Halifax outfit Glory Glory, Adam dove into studio work, travelling between Halifax and NYC to mentor with Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend, The Strokes), his studio collaborator on this project. He also worked on sessions in New York for groups like Rubblebucket and Cathedrals. Back home in Halifax, he produced music for bands Pretty Normal and Sundae Girl, solo artist Dave Scholten (formerly of Acres and Acres), and Guelph songwriter Innes Wilson.
With a resume like that, it’s no wonder Warren’s first venture into a solo project churned out a terrific result.
A debut LP from waants, Love u Forever, is slated for release by LHM Records in the new year.